Improvement in grain-driers



A. W. ROPER'.

Improvement in Grain-Driers.

No. 131,464. Patented sep. 17, m2.

ATTEST. gnnf.

UNITED STATES ALFRED w; EOPEE, OE eLAsGOw, Missouni.

'IMPROVEMENT IN GRAINDRIERS.`

Specification'forming part of Letters Patent No. 13l,464,`dated September 17, 1872.

lo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. ROPER, of Glasgow, in the county of Howard and State of Missouri, have invented a certain Apparatus for Drying Grain, Meal, Malt, 8vo., of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to an improvement in that form of drier in which the grain is carried successively over a series of heated metallic plates arranged vertically, and furnished with double bottoms and connecting-pipes for the introduction of steam or hot air, the grain being kept in motion and transferred gradually from the upper to the lower plates of the series by means of rotary rakes revolving on a central vertical shaft, and arranged in such manner that the grain falls alternately from the periphery and from the center of the successive plates. The general features of this form of drier are old and well-known.

My improvement consists, first, in such an arrangement of the steam-pipes, in connection vwith cocks and a safety-valve, that all the pans may beheated simultaneously to the same degree of temperature; or, if desired, one or more of them may be heated separately, or raised to a higher temperature than the others; I also provide waste-pipes and cocks for each separate steam-chamber. Second, in an arrangement of the rotary rakes, by which they are permitted to rise and fall freely, thereby avoiding too much resistance from local accumulations of the grain.

The general description of the machine is as follows:

The drawing' is a perspective view of my improvement, a portion of the frame being broken away to reveal the parts inside.

A is the frame, which may be made of wood or metal, and of any suitable form to support the pans. B shows a bridge-beam,into which the shaft G may be stepped. DA are steampans having an upwardly-extending rim, d, and a double bottom forming a steam-chamber, d. E are steam-pans or tables having a steam bottom or chamber,.e, similar to d. F

are steam, air, or water-pipes, as the case may be, but shown as intended for Steam. The pipes F may lead directly to all the steamchambers. G are safety-valves that may be located in one or more places. Hare pipes communicating from chamber to chamber. I

are cocks for discharge of condensed steam J is an annular pan to receive the grain, malt, Ste., ,dropping over the edge of the lowest steam pan or table E. 9' is the discharge-spout of. the pan J. The shaft C passes centrally through all the steam-pans and through the bars of the rakesv K, which are caused to turn with the shaft by connection L with the leading arms M extending from the shaft. These arms are shown as attached to the shaft by collars N secured by set-screws fn.. The rakebars are loose upon the shaft G, so as to enable them to rise or fall, according to the depth of grain in the pans. These rakes have inclined teeth k, which, in case of the pans D, carry the grain inward and discharge it through the central opening 61; butin these rakes K, above the pans or tables E, the rake-teeth are so inclined as to carry the grain outward and discharge it over the edge into the pan D beneath. `c is a pulley, by which the shaft C is driven. This pulley may be at the upper or lower end of the shaft, or the shaft may be driven by cog-gearing, or in any other manner.

Either steam, heated air, or water may be passed through the chambers d e to heat the metal over which the grain, Sto., is passed. In case water were used, the pipes F might be suitably modified.

The grain, &c., is fed into the upper pan at its edge, and is carried by the rake K to the orifice d" at the center, through which it drops upon the table or pan E, and being carried outward by the rake is discharged over the edge into the pan D beneath, and so on until it reaches the annular pan J, from whence it is discharged' by the rake K k through the spout j.

I claim as new and of my invention- 1. rlhe steam-heated pans D D, provided with waste-cocks I I, disks E E, and rakes K k, in combination with the pipes H, and independent connecting-pipes F F having safetyvalves Gr Gr, all constructed, arranged, and operated as set forth.

2. The rakes K 7c, constructed as described, and loosely hung upon the shaft C, as and for the purpose set forth.

` ALFRED W. ROPER.

Witnesses:

SAML. KNIGHT, CHARLES. PronLEs. 

